A specific serotonin receptor (Se-5HTR) has been identified in the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua and classified into 5-HT7 type. Se-5HTR expression was up-regulated in hemocytes and fat body in response to immune challenge. As being a GPCR, this receptor is presumably coupled with intracellular trimeric Gαs protein activating cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) pathway to regulate several cellular functions. RNA interference (RNAi) of Se-5HTR as well as its downstream signal proteins exhibited significant suppression in cellular immune responses including nodulation and phagocytosis. Application of inhibitors to the signaling cascade suppressed the immune responses as well. To validate the Se-5HTR involvement in mediating cellular immunity, 5-HTR knock-out mutants were developed using CRISPR-Cas9 technique and suffered significant developmental anomalies.

에메리개미는 여왕개미와 수개미가 유전적으로 복제되어 번식한다고 알려져 있으며, 여왕개미의 날개형태가 장시형과 단시형으로 나타난다. 장시형은 정상적인 날개형태이고, 이보다 짧은 날개형태는 단시형이라고 한다. 장시형과 단시형 모두 한 종으로 취급되지만, 두 가지 점에서 종 지위에 대한 조사가 필요하다. 첫째, 자연 상태에서는 두 날개형이 함께 발견되지 않고, 둘째, 날개형이 육안으로 뚜렷하게 구분된다. 또한 복제되어 번식한 여왕개미가 단수체인지 배수체인지 조사가 필요하다. 따라서 우리는 본 연구에서 에메리개미 유전체 크기를 추정하여 두 날개형은 동종이며, 여왕개미는 배수체임을 확인하였다.

The porcine zygotic genome activation occurs along with global epigenetic remolding at the 4-cell stage. The histone acetylation, regulating DNA transcription, replication and so on, requires adequate acetyl-CoA. Acetyl-CoA produced by translocated pyruvate dehydrogenase in the nucleus of mammalian cells has been reported, which is commonly considered locating in the mitochondria. To find out whether the nuclear pyruvate dehydrogenase regulating the histone acetylation by controlling generation of acetyl-CoA, a multiple sgRNAs-CRISPR/Cas9 targeting strategy was employed to generate a pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 alpha1 (Pdha1) knockout (KO) parthenogenetic embryo model. Results showed that the targeting efficiency of Pdha1 reached more than 90%. Hence, this model was used in the subsequent experiments. Furthermore, a translocation of Pdha1 during zygotic genome activation was found by immunofluorescent staining and was significantly inhibited by Pdha1 KO. Meanwhile, the 8-cell stage embryo rate significantly decreased after 72 h (24.19% vs 12.53%, control vs Pdha1 KO), indicating a 4-cell arrest. In addition, the nuclear histone acetylation level significantly decreased when Pdha1 was KO. To determine whether the zygotic genome transcription was affected, the qPCR was performed and showed that the mRNA level of Eif1A, Acly, Sqle and Pdha1 all dropped significantly in the Pdha1 KO group compared to the control. In conclusion, the translocated Pdha1 generates acetyl-CoA for histone acetylation inside the nucleus of porcine embryos, which promotes the zygotic genome activation of porcine embryos.

In the present study, we make a first report on the complete mitochondrial DNA genome of Leptaulax koreanus, a Korean endemic species, in Passalidae. The mitogenome is 18,730 base pairs with 13 protein coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNAs, two rRNAs and a 4240 bp long AT-rich region. The overall base composition is 78.4% AT and 21.6% GC. The maximum likelihood analysis inferred that L. koreanus is a sister to other Scarabaeoidea species. The phylogeny suggested that L. koreanus is the basal group of Scarabaeoidea.

The genus Camponotus Mayr, 1861 distributes all over the world, even ranging from the African desserts to the Antarctic islands. Number of species in this genus is the largest: 1,488 taxa (species and subspecies) accounting for 10% ant species. Despite of it, number of available complete mitochondrial genomes was only one, Camponotus atrox (subgenus Camponotus). To decipher characteristics of mitochondrial genome of this genus, we completed mitochondrial genomes of Camponotus nipponensis Santschi, 1937, belonging to subgenera Myrmentoma using Illumina HiSeqX. The total length of mitochondrial genome of C. nipponensis is 15,532bp with 79.8% A + T content. It consists of 13 PCGs, 22 tRNA, and 2 rRNA genes and an A+T–rich control region. This mitochondrial genome will be a useful resource to understand features of Camponotus genus with adding more mitochondrial genomes of other subgenera, such as Paramyrmamblys.

오이총채벌레(Thrips palmi Karny)는 동남아시아지역이 원산으로 국내 침입 외래해충이다. 주로 노지와 하우스에서 재배되는 박과(Cucurbitaceae)와 가지과(Solanaceae) 작물에 직접 섭식과 바이러스 매개에 의한 피해가 크다. 본 연구에서는 차세대염기서열분석기술(NGS)을 통해 오이총채벌레의 미토콘드리아 전장 게놈을 해독하였으며 염기서열 신규 조립(de novo assembly) 결과 전체 길이가 16,414bp인 원형의 유전체로 추정되었다. 미토콘드리아 게놈 전체에서 뉴클레오티드는 A와 T가 78.5%를 차지는 특징을 보였다. 동물의 미토콘드리아 게놈에서 일반적으로 발견되는 37개 유전자 영역에 대해 BLAST 검색을 한 결과 trnV는 탐색되지 않았다. 본 발표에서는 신규 조립된 오이총채벌레 미토콘드리아 게놈 유전체에 포함된 유전자의 종류와 배열 등에 대한 기초 통계자료를 정리하였다.

Bombyx mandarina (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) is generally regarded as the ancestor of the domesticated B. mori. Recently, over 40 mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) mainly from B. mori strains preserved in China and wild individuals of B. mandarina were sequenced to verify the progenitor of B. mori. At this point, we also were curious about the origin and the relationships of Korean silkworms to foreign B. mandarina and B. mori. As a first step, we sequenced the complete mitogenome of the B. mandarina collected in Korea and compared it to pre-exsiting data (37 strains of B. mori and 14 individuals of B. mandarina). The complete mitogenome of B. mandarina was 15,694-bp long, consisted of 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and one non-coding region. The 494-bp long A+T-rich region possessed the highest A/T content (95.3%) than any other region of the genome. Overall, the general mitogenome characteristics of the genus Bombyx species have an identical gene arrangement, similar A/ T content (average 82.3%) and so on. Phylogenetic analysis, however, showed that B. mori and B. mandarina formed a distant group each with the highest nodal support. For more findings of mitogenome characteristics of Bombyx including the Korean B. mandarina and those preserved in Korea more mitogenomes, particularly from Korea, might be needed.

The dung beetle, Copris tripartitus, has been listed as an endangered insect in Korea. In contrast to typical genomic characteristics, the 15,457-bp long, the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of C. tripartitus has a few unusual characteristics. The genome has the trnP-trnT arrangement at the ND4L-ND6 junction, which is found only in two species of Scarabaeoidea, including C. tripartitus, in 53 available species. Twelve protein coding genes (PCGs) have typical ATT and ATG start codons, whereas COII had the start codon GTA, which is unprecedented in Scarabaeidae. The 297-bp A + T-rich region, which is the shortest available in Scarabaeidae, harbors three repeat units (26, 29, and 21 bp), each consisting of duplicated identical sequences interspersed in the A + T-rich region. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using the concatenated sequences of the 13 PCGs and two rRNA genes using both the Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum likelihood (ML) methods for the families Scarabaeidae and Lucanidae that are available for their mitogenomes in Scarabaeoidea. Our consensus phylogeny yielded monophylies of each family and the subfamily Scarabaeinae in Scarabaeidae with the high nodal supports (0.99-1 by BI and 79-100 by ML). Among the three tribes, represented by multiple genera in Scarabaeinae each Oniticellini and Onitini was supported as monophyletic groups with the highest nodal supports (1 by BI and 100 by ML), whereas Onthophagini was non-monophyletic group, presenting the tribe relationships: ((((Oniticellini + Onthophagini [Caccobius, Milichus, Onthophagus]) + Onthophagini [Digitonthophagus, Phalops]) + Onitini) + (Phanaeini + Eurysternini) + Coprini).

The cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera is one of the most polyphagous and cosmopolitan pest species in world wide including Korea. It also showed high level of resistance against various types of insecticide. To set the integrated resistant management program, first, we tried to identify the insecticide resistant mechanism via transcriptome analysis of coding and non-coding RNAs using 4 strains (Australian susceptible and resistant strains, Korean and Brazilian resistant strains, additional a sub-lethal dose insecticide treatment in Korean resistant strain). From the illumina based RNAseq data sets with genome information, some resistant involved detoxification genes and long non-coding RNAs were discovered. Second, following molecular markers were developed from resistant strain specific amino acid substitution from those candidate genes. Third, functionally identified genes’ markers were applied in field populations using some molecular diagnostic tools such as LAMP (loop mediated isothermal amplification). Now additional functional analysis is going on for these un-characterized candidate genes and long non-coding RNAs.

돼지의 생시체중은 생존율과 폐사율에 밀접한 관련이 있어 양돈산업에서 자돈 관리와 직결된 중요한 경제형질이다. 본 연구는 Genome-Wide Association Study(GWAS) 분석을 통해 순종 랜드레이스의 생 시체중과 관련된 위치상 후보유전자 탐색을 실시하였다. 생시체중의 유의적 관련 분석 결과, genomewide suggestive level에서 유의성 있는 single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP) marker는 3번 염색체 (ASGA0098921, P=2.41×10-5)와 4번 염색체(H3GA0013451, P=2.47×10-5)에서 각각 1개씩 동정되었다. 이들 SNP marker가 위치한 3개의 유전자(LOC110260055, LOC100156472, LOC100157689)들은 순종 랜드레이스 생시체중의 위치상 후보 유전자이며, 이들 유전자 정보를 이용해서 순종 랜드레이스 생시 체중을 선발할 수 있는 기초 연구 자료가 될 것으로 사료된다.

고추는 한국에서 매우 중요한 양념 중 하나이다. 하지만 수입 고춧가루와 다진 양념(다대기)에 부과되는 관세율(45%/270%)의 차이로 인해, 다진 양념이 수입된 후, 건 조 및 분쇄 과정을 거쳐 고춧가루로 제작되고 있는 실정 이다. 본 연구에서는 종 특이 PCR 기술과 whole-genome amplification 방법을 접목하여 고춧가루(N=45) 및 다진 양 념(N=5) 제품의 사용원료(고추, 마늘, 양파, 파, 생강)를 분 석하였다. 모니터링 결과, 39개 고춧가루 제품은 표시사항 을 준수하였으며, 6개 고춧가루 및 5개 다진 양념 제품은 제조 기준을 충족시키지 못했다. 따라서 분석 제품의 22% 가 표시사항을 준수하지 못한 것으로 밝혀졌으며, 본 연구에 사용한 분석 방법은 고춧가루 제품에 사용된 원료 분석에 적합한 방법임을 입증하였다.

Currently, phylogenetic relationships of Bombycoidea have been reconstructed using molecular data, but generated several hypotheses on among-familial relationships [(especially, “Satruniidae+Bombycidae+Sphingidae” group)] within Bombycoidea. Thus, in this study, we sequenced 39 mitogenomes from both Bombycoidea and Lasiocampoidea. Consequently, one topology was obtained on the basis of ML and BI methods. It suggested the monophyly of the two superfamilies (Bombycoidea and Lasiocampoidea) consistently with a high nodal support; the sister relationship between Saturniidae and Sphingidae in “SBS”; and the sister relationships between Bombycidae and the Saturniidae + Sphingidae group.

The Acoptolabrus changeonleei Ishikawa et Kim, 1983 (Coleoptera: Carabidae), has been listed as an endangered insect in South Korea. The complete mitochondrial genome of the species was 16,831 bp with a typical set of genes (13 protein-coding genes [PCGs], 2 rRNA genes, and 22 tRNA genes) and one non-coding region, with the arrangement identical to that observed in most insect genomes. Phylogenetic analyses with concatenated sequences of the 13 PCGs and 2 rRNA genes, using the Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum-likelihood (ML) methods, placed A. changeonleei as a sister to the within-subfamilial species Damaster mirabilissimus in Carabinae, with the highest nodal support by both analyses.